Liverpool have moved for another David Moyes target and it proves West Ham never stood a chance after Teun Koopmeiners claim.
Any fans who have followed the last couple of transfer windows will be well aware West Ham and Liverpool shared a fair few column inches when it comes to transfers.
It was well publicised last January that West Ham were trying hard to sign Darwin Nunez (Sky Sports).
The move did not happen and Liverpool pounced to sign Nunez this summer.
It was the second West Ham move Jurgen Klopp had hijacked after Liverpool snatched Luis Diaz from under Moyes’ nose last January with the Scot believing he had the Colombian all but signed (Daily Mail).
Klopp had also been linked with Hammers ace Jarrod Bowen all summer until Mohamed Salah signed his new Liverpool deal.
There were even concerns Liverpool were trying to hijack West Ham’s move for Lucas Paqueta late in the summer window.
Now Liverpool have moved for another Moyes target and it proves West Ham never stood a chance after Teun Koopmeiners claim.
With Declan Rice’s future very much looking to be elsewhere from next summer, Moyes is under pressure to sign a high quality central midfielder.
West Ham reportedly tried to do just that with an ambitious move for Atalanta star Koopmeiners in the summer.
CalcioAtalanta and TEAMtalk claim West Ham looked to the Dutch ace after missing out on Amadou Onana to Liverpool’s rivals Everton.
But the move was said to be ‘fraught with difficulties’ and Koopmeiners remained with the Serie A club.
Word in West Ham circles was that Moyes may yet reignite the move for the Dutchman.
Now Liverpool are said to have approached Atalanta for the star and have been told they must make an ‘unrefusable offer’.
According to The Guardian, the Reds are considering making an offer for the 24-year-old whose contract at the Gewiss Stadium runs until June 2025, although Atalanta have an option to extend for one more season.
As per Tuttomercatoweb, Atalanta are unwilling to sell the Dutch midfielder in January unless they receive an offer too good to turn down, which would convince La Dea to look for a replacement in the market.
Koopmeiners joined Atalanta for €14m (£12.4m) from AZ Alkmaar in 2021 and has scored eight goals in 58 appearances with the Nerazzurri.
Like West Ham talisman Rice and Liverpool ace Fabinho, Koopmeiners can also play at centre-back if needed.
The fact Liverpool are in for the 24-year-old is bad enough for West Ham. But throw in the fact Atalanta are clearly demanding big money and it makes any hope of a potential deal highly unlikely if not impossible.
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